Coming up taller awards

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Acknowledgments

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
is grateful for the public and private leadership that makes the
2003 Coming Up Taller Awards possible.

Beth Singer Design

Cherner Automotive, Arlene and Harvey Cherner

Cranium, Inc.

CONTACTO CULTURAL, Fideicomiso

para la Cultura Mexico-EUA (CULTURAL CONTACT,

The US-Mexico Foundation for Culture)

GMAC Financial Services

Green Family Foundation

H.E. Butt Grocery Company

The Harman Family Foundation, Jane and Sidney Harman

Institute of Museum and Library Services

MetLife Foundation

Mid- Atlantic Printers, Ltd.

Miller and Long Companies

John and Lucia Mudd

National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Humanities

Car en H. Prothro

The Ruth C. and Charles S. Sharp Foundation, Inc.

Surdna Foundation, Inc.

Vin and Caren Prothro Foundation

GMAC Financial Services made this publication possible.

Special thanks go to the National Assembly of State Arts
Agencies (NASAA) for its partnership in coordinating
Coming Up Taller.

The following people from the partner agencies
are indispensable to the success of this initiative:

Carmen Boston

Wilsonia Cherry

Lee Kessler

Robbie McEwen

Marsha Semmel

Judith Humphreys Weitz

Cover: Saint Joseph Ballet's 2002
annual concert. Photograph
by Rose Eichenbaum. Far Right,
Above: Close-up of the handi-
work of an artist at RAW Art
Works, Inc., a 2000 Coming Up
Taller awardee. Far Right, Below:
COCA-Center of Creative Arts
student, Margot Danis, rehearses.

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AWARDS

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ENDOWMENT
FOR THE ARTS

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James Schwartz

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Credits

Writer: Elizabeth Gibbens

Editors: Carmen Boston, Cesar Guadamuz,

Judith Humphreys Weitz
Design: Beth Singer Design
Printing: Mid- Atlantic Printers, Ltd.
Coming Up Taller Logo Design: Anthony Ruotolo

and Fang Zhou, Hachette Filipacchi Magazines

Permission to copy, disseminate, or otherwise use
information from this report is granted as long as
appropriate acknowledgment is given.

Contact the President's Committee on the Arts
and the Humanities for copies of this publication:

President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 526
Washington, DC 20506
Phone: 202-682-5409
Fax: 202-682-5668
E-mail: pcah@pcah.gov
URL: www.cominguptaller.gov
www.pcah.gov

' There is no way to fast forward

and know how the kids will look back

on this, but I have seen the joy in
their eyes and have heard it in

their voices and I have watched

them take a bow and

Come Up Taller/'

Willie Reale, Founder, The 52nd Street Project, describing

the impact of this theater program on youth living in "Hell's Kitchen,

a neighborhood in New York City.

A Note From

First Lady Laura Bush

Honorary Chair

President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Welcome to the 2003 Coming Up
Taller Awards!

When I was a child in Midland, Texas, I went
to the public library every chance I had. There
I would let my imagination journey far and
wide through the magic of books. Today's
young people are able to have adventures
of which I only dreamed.

Their horizons can be expanded in a record-
ing studio in Chicago; a music practice room
in Raleigh or New York City; a dance studio
in Kansas City, St. Louis or Santa Ana; a
museum in Oakland or Philadelphia; or, yes,
in a library in Boston, Butte, or Los Angeles.
They are taking part in some of the many
after-school and out-of-school activities across
the country that we are honoring today
with Coming Up Taller Awards.

Coming Up Taller brings national recognition
to organizations which provide exceptional
experiences for education and personal
development through the arts and humanities.

Planned especially for children whose
prospects for enrichment out of school may
be limited, these programs encourage
young people to discover their talents and
chart their futures.

Key to the successful growth of these
young individuals are their adult leaders.
Professionals in their respective crafts, they
serve as gifted guides for young people
exploring new, demanding, and exciting
creative territories. These adult mentors are
our valued partners in guiding and inspiring
the next generation of our country's leaders.
We salute them today.

I am delighted to join the members of the
President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities, the Institute of Museum and
Library Services, the National Endowment
for the Arts, and the National Endowment
for the Humanities in celebrating the
Coming Up Taller Award recipients for
their extraordinary work to enhance young
people's lives, their communities, and
this country.

A Note From

Henry Moran

Executive Director
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Robert S. Martin

Director

Institute of Museum and Library Services DcHl£l GlOin

Chairman
National Endowment for the Arts

Bruce M. Cole

Chairman

National Endowment for the Humanities

Anyone who has seen the glow on a child's face at

the end of a performance, or witnessed a student's

wide-eyed discovery of a piece of community history,

or sensed the determination of young people to finish a Website

design or a painting knows the power of the arts and humanities

to engage youth.

Today, more than ever, young people are pursuing opportuni-
ties to discover and hone new skills when they are not in
school or at home. With the assistance of library and museum
professionals, scholars of history and literature, artists, and
media experts, they are researching and presenting the history
of city neighborhoods and communities; studying Shakespeare's
plays and adapting them to reflect contemporary issues; singing
and playing orchestral instruments; dancing; photographing and
painting; creating programs for radio and television; and learning
the arts of animation, printmaking, and bookmaking.

Through these experiences they find constructive expressions
of their curiosity; develop strong, positive relationships with
adult mentors; become valued members of a peer group;
make informed choices; advance their knowledge of history and
culture; and join their community giving back as much as they
learn. As a result, these young people begin to believe in a
future that offers substantial possibilities.

Coming Up Taller is a national initiative that recognizes and
supports these outstanding out-of-school and after-school arts
and humanities programs for young people. It is a project of the
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in part-
nership with three national cultural agencies: the Institute of
Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the
Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This publication honors the excellence of the 2003 Coming Up
Taller awardees. While arts and humanities learning is at

the core of these hands-on programs, the context in which the
disciplines are taught varies. Some programs focus on general
employment training and experiences. Others provide pre-
professional training or the gift of a lifelong skill in one of the
arts' disciplines. Several programs engage youth in their commu-
nities. Others feature extended-day activities, coordinating with
and supplementing in-school learning.

And the difference each award recipient is making in young
people's lives is both tangible and measurable — improved
school attendance, increased basic reading and math skills and
problem-solving abilities, higher graduation and college
enrollment rates, and enhanced life skills.

Carl Mastandrea, executive director of the Boston Photo
Collaborative, in describing preparations for an upcoming
presentation at the New England School of Photography,
captures some of the ways these arts and humanities
programs achieve such results:

Far Left, Above: Flutist
from the Berklee City Music
Program, Berklee College
of Music, a 2003 Coming Up
Taller nominee, performs.
Above: Members of the CAAM
Chinese Dance Theater, a 2003
Coming Up Taller nominee,
perform an original piece.

Jack Yan

"Today, the teens are very seri-
ous. The weight of responsibility
has finally hit. No one thinks my
jokes are funny. They have a little
kick in their step — unusual for
teens. Jeremy has spent the last
hour on the phone with the local
historian, getting facts to round out his project. Laura can't fig-
ure out how to fit five pages of text into one. Xavier's photos are
affectionate and sweet, yet his writing is anything but. Before
lunch, they all present their essays and vote on whether they are
good to go. We practice the oral presentations until the vote is
unanimous. This could be a long day.

I love to watch their eyes. I wait for the moment when they
realize that this project is theirs. Their eyes get a little wider,
more alert. There's a little desperation in their voices. By Thursday,
they'll be ready. This is when they shine."

Through this year's Coming Up Taller Awards, we celebrate the
promise that shines within every child in America. We salute the
creative learning opportunities that the awardees offer young
people. And, we applaud the vision, skill, and dedication of the
artists, scholars, museum and library experts, and community
leaders who direct and shape these Coming Up Taller programs.

\

Jennifer Amok

ACES — Achievement Through
Community Service, Education,
and Skill Building

Please Touch Museum

ACES — Achievement Through Community Service, Education,
and Skill Building is Please Touch Museum's work-based learning,
enrichment, and mentoring program for teens from four of
Philadelphia's public high schools. Each year, 25 young partici-
pants spend one day per week at Please Touch; they also devote
many after-school and weekend hours to working in the Museum.

ACES places a strong emphasis on group projects. As students
take on various roles — researcher, designer, implemented and
evaluator — they come to understand the value of teamwork and
the individual's role in the group process. After a trip to
historic landmarks in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Baltimore,
Maryland; and Washington, DC, for instance, ACES' students
drew on their experiences to prepare a reading, "Welcome to
America," which they presented to a group of newly naturalized
Americans. To follow up at the Museum, each teenager
researched the home country of a newly naturalized citizen and
then participated in an ACES group project — a multicultural
display that presented history, culture, and geography to Please
Touch's young visitors.

ACES' students are paid for their work. To ensure that they
receive school credit, all projects, activities, and job placements
are developed using school district
standards. As a well-rounded pro-
gram, designed to meet students'
multifaceted needs, ACES also
provides counseling services,
academic tutoring, and college
and career guidance. In addition,
an adult advocate helps students
resolve school-related issues.

Above: ACES students Luis
Santiago, Saybah Biawogei,
and David Castillo work
witb their mentor, Jamilah
Thompkins, to re-create
a human rights painting.
Far Right: ACES students
show off their replications
of paintings that hang in
the New York Metropolitan
Museum of Art.

8

ACES — Achievement
Through Community
Service, Education, and
Skill Building

Please Touch Museum

2 1 0 North 2 1 st Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Phone:215-963-0667

Fax:215-963-0424

E-mail: jarnold@pleasetouch

museum.org

URL: www.pleasetouchmuseum.org

Focus: Arts, Humanities, Science
Annual Number Participating: 25
Ages: 14-18
Annual Budget: $45,000

"ACES is a win-win situation
for the students and the Museum.
The students infuse creative
energy into our exhibits and
programs. Their enthusiasm
stimulates our staff to stretch
themselves, and the program
taps into the inherent idealism
that brings people into the
museum field. For the students,
ACES is a pivotal experience
from which they reap lifelong
benefits."
Jennifer Arnold
Youth Program Coordinator
ACES

From week to week, students also
explore careers that are new to
many of them — for example, careers
m marketing, event planning, and
exhibition design. Volunteers from
the Museum's staff mentor the
students, guiding them through
professional projects. During the past year, these included creat-
ing toy package designs, writing and performing in Museum
theater productions, and planning and executing exhibitions.

In 2002, Please Touch Museum's community programs, includ-
ing ACES, won the National Award for Museum Services from
the Institute of Museum and Library Services. ACES' outstand-
ing features are, indeed, worthy of recognition. Its holistic edu-
cational focus exposes young people to a wide range of learning
opportunities in the arts, humanities, and sciences.
The long-term nature — students are in the program for three
years — encourages students to develop strong relationships
with Museum staff. And its Museum-wide focus provides
students with opportunities for learning and working throughout
the Museum

During their time in the program, students develop problem-
solving skills and learn to be tenacious in overcoming obstacles.
A program of high expectations and unique resources, ACES
helps teens set clear goals for the future and prepares them to
become independent, confident adults.

AileyCamp

Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey learned early in his life that exposure
to dance can be a life-changing experience.
His discovery of dance led to the founding of
the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a
world-renowned dance company dedicated to
the preservation and enrichment of American
modern dance and the uniqueness of African-
American cultural expression. It also resulted
in the creation of AileyCamp in Kansas City,
an innovative pilot program that uses dance
as a metaphor for life. The AileyCamp experi-
ence reflects Ailey's belief that the skills needed to learn dance
are the same ones needed to succeed in life — self-discipline and
the ability to listen, think critically, solve problems, and engage
in cooperative learning. AileyCamps have since expanded to
seven cities across the United States.

The core of the AileyCamp day involves classes in modern
dance, jazz, ballet, and tap with professionals from around the
country who return year after year. In addition, campers work
on their communications skills through storytelling, creative
writing, percussion, and sculpture. These experiences happen
under the guidance of teachers who understand the importance
of balancing discipline with compassion and personal attention.
Youth participate in field trips, sometimes with their families,
and attend classes in personal development around such issues

Kimberly Hines

i

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as conflict resolution, health, and nutrition. Every camper
receives a full-tuition scholarship plus uniforms, meals, and
transportation free of charge. The combination of structured
activities, positive role models, family involvement, and opportu-
nities to succeed accounts for AileyCamp's positive impact
on children: They have higher expectations for attending and
finishing high school; a greater sense of social and civic values;
and expanded participation in the arts, particularly dance.

National AileyCamp Director Nasha Thomas-Schmitt adds,
"For the past 15 years, AileyCamps have provided profoundly
positive learning experiences for young people from challenging
urban environments, helping them build their self-esteem,
creative abilities, and critical thinking skills. We want campers
to know they have all the
power in themselves to attain
their goals. We are so proud

of the many success stories
from AileyCamp."

Far Left, Top: AileyCampers
dance to drumming and spoken
word. Below Left: AileyCampers
perform in dress rehearsal.
Far Left, Bottom: Members of
AileyCamp's Group "M" dance
M.I.B.-.M in Ballet.

AileyCamp

Kansas City Friends ofAlvinAiley
218 Delaware Street, Suite 101
Kansas City, MO 64 1 05
Phone:816-471-6003
Fax:816-471-6001
E-mail: cynthia@kcfaa.org

Focus: Dance

Annual Number Participating: 170

Ages: I 1-14

Annual Budget: $300,000

"AileyCamp is one of the most
respected and admired programs
for middle-school children in our
entire metropolitan area. It serves
as an inspiration for other arts
and cultural organizations to
develop programs that have the
impact this one does on the lives
of children."
Joan Israelite, President
The Arts Council of
Metropolitan Kansas Cit

ARTSTARS

LACER Afterschool Programs: Literacy,
Arts, Culture, Education, and Recreation

How can you raise the average standardized read-
ing test score in your school by five points? Give
students something compelling to read — a play
that they enact, directed by professionals with
credentials. Give children the attentive services of
tutors and guidance from research librarians who
can help young people navigate and use the
Internet's unlimited, often free, resources. Inspire
young people with the chance to perform their
music on stage at a "cool," "hip" venue, such as
the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. These
are some of the experiences and activities that
LACER has provided to middle-school children
since 1995 through its after-school enrichment
program, ARTSTARS.

ARTSTARS supports
children by providing a five-
day-a-week, after-school, arts
learning program in theater,
music, dance, creative
writing, and the visual arts.
This learning is done m
accordance with state
educational standards for
the arts, drawing upon the
core school subjects of
English, math, social studies,
and science for content. In
addition, LACER provides
homework assistance,
tutoring support, and a
comprehensive literacy pro-
gram developed in partnership with the Los Angeles Public
Library. Through intensive tutorials, students receive daily
small-group and individual instruction after school at their local
library, with the goal of improving their reading, writing, and
computer skills.

Through education in the arts, ARTSTARS gives children
the chance to see knowledge in action, which encourages a
value for and a purpose in learning. Seventy-six percent of the
students enrolled in LACER's after-school program say that they
enjoy English classes more than they did before enrolling in
ARTSTARS. In addition, 84 percent of the participants say that
if they were alone in the house with nothing to do, they would
work on a music project. Such outcomes support the indepen-
dent evaluations of ARTSTARS, which find that the program

Far Right, Above: El Trio la Estrella
performs. Above: Students of the
Irving Stars Afro-Cuban Dance
Workshop perform. Far Right:
Stephanie Mendez, Melody Pacheco,
Maricris Dimaano, and Krystel
Bockholt from the Hollywood Stars
Musical Theatre Workshop practice
a number.

12

LACER Afterschool Programs:

Literacy, Arts, Culture, Education,

and Recreation

1718 North Cherokee Avenue

Hollywood, CA 90028

Phone:323-957-6481

Fax: 323-957-6480

E-mail: saslacer@hotmail.com

URL: www.lacerstars.org

Focus: Creative Writing, Music,
Performing and Visual Arts
Annual Number Participating: 2,500
Ages: 10-14
Annual Budget: $ 1,200,000

"The most important outcome
from the ARTSTARS program
is the correlation between class-
room learning, real-life experi-
ences, and artistic expression
that increases students' interest
and achievement in reading,
writing, math, and science."
Sharon Strieker, Executive Director
LACER Afterschool Programs

William Kidslon

dramatically improves chil-
dren's attitudes toward
school and their ability to
set and realize goals for
themselves. Says Linda Del
Cueto. pi incipal, Joseph
LeConte Middle School, "I firmly believe that the strong perform-
ing arts and library programs provided by ARTSTARS have been
a major influence in the improvement in reading test scores by
our students."

13

Community Music School, Inc.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, the Community Music School (CMS)
offers high-quality weekly instruction in classical music to low-
income children throughout the school year. Training is provided
in one of 11 instruments, including orchestral instruments,
piano, and guitar. After their enrollment in CMS, "Children show
an improved ability to stay with tasks from beginning to end,"
says Marty Suttle Thomas, executive director. "They develop
problem-solving skills as they learn to read music and figure out
how to translate the notations to their instrument."

As they develop new abilities, students are supported by a
skilled musician in weekly one-on-one music lessons, for which
they pay one dollar. "Quite frequently, this is the only individual
instruction a child receives, and they consistently respond
responsibly and with respect," says Thomas.

Although most of the instruction occurs during the academic
year, CMS also operates BnanGan

Summer Notes — an
intensive two-week day
camp on the campus of
the historically black
college, St. Augustine's

Right: LaTodd Cade per-
forms at a student recital.
Far Right: Tonya Kirk
instructs Lartey Cade.

Community Music
School, Inc.

PO Box 2545

Raleigh, NC 27602

Phone:919-856-7345

Fax:919-828-3056

E-mail: com_music_school

@mindspring.com

URL: www.cmsraleigh.org

Focus: Music

Annual Number Participating: 500

Ages: 6-18

Annual Budget: $84,600

"As a musician myself, I have sat
through student juries, listening to
a student play a piece he or she
has learned through the course of
the year. I can attest to the growth
in both musical ability and esteem
these students experience through
their involvement in the program."
Michelle S. Hile, Managing Director
North Carolina Master Chorale

College — which offers classes in music history and music theory
and the opportunity to sing in a chorus. During Summer Notes,
students learn concert etiquette and are exposed to a variety of
musical genres because of the almost daily performances of local
professional musicians and musical ensembles.

To assist parents in supporting their children's interests
in the arts, CMS, through partnerships with other area arts
organizations, offers tickets to performances and information
about arts activities in and around Raleigh. By sending program
notes home to parents, CMS also fosters family conversations
about the arts and humanities.

The Community Music School provides a much-needed oppor-
tunity for children who might never have a chance to study
music privately. The impact of the experience on their lives can
be measured in terms of immediate musical accomplishments.
The program also gives these children an ability that can be
enjoyed throughout their lives.

Nina Desai

t«ur.M

Erica Deipanne

Hard Cover

Community Television

Network

24 1 8 West Bloomingdale

Chicago, IL 60647

Phone: 773-278-8500

Fax: 773-278-8635

E-mail: ctvnchicago@yahoo.com

URL: www.ctvnetwork.org

Focus: Media Arts

Annual Number Participating: 343

Ages: 13-21

Annual Budget: $64,400

"CTVN's groundbreaking
programs, now national models
for after-school and school
reform organizations nationwide,
have empowered thousands of
youth and entire communities.
[CTVN] has become a veritable
Chicago institution, making an
improvement in youth education
in a way no other program has
been able to."

Laura Weathered, Executive Director
Near North West Arts Council
Chicago

Hard Cover

Community Television Network

Far Left, Top: CTVN's
young reporters set up
for a Hard Cover story.
Far Left, Bottom: Vanessa
Rodrigues, Audrey
Johnson, and two more
of the Hard Cover team
call the camera and
audio shots. Bottom Left:
Milly Caraballo, award-
winning youth videomak-
er, takes a break.

rica Deipartne

Hard Cover, a program of Community Television Network (CTVN)
gives urban youth the opportunity to become creators in a medium
in which they are accustomed to being consumers. CTVN has
found that given the opportunity to "make TV" about them-
selves and their communities, youth respond with enthusiasm.

This 17-year-old CTVN program is
the nation's longest-running youth -
produced cable access TV series. Each
year, participants write, produce, direct,
and edit 26 broadcast programs of 30
minutes each, airing one new show
every two weeks.

The foundation of Hard Cover's philos-
ophy is to provide youth with the oppor-
tunity and tools for conceiving and creating an expression of
themselves and their environments, empowering them through
the use of critical thinking and the realization of their creative
inspirations. Additionally, these youth learn how to read and
analyze the electronic media that surround their daily lives.

Youth producers learn the technical aspects of video production
by working with experienced filmmakers to use their creativity,
allowing them to address issues they find important in aesthetically
appealing and often poetically structured
ways. When creating TV programs about
topics ranging from school reform to commu-
nity issues and events, Hard Cover producers
find innovative ways to tell stories and
express ideas artistically by using original
images, music, and writing; stylized lighting
and composition; and thoughtful juxtaposition
of images through editing.

Through its International Video Letter
program, young participants send abroad
"video letters" about their communities, cultures, and customs.
Following the events of September 11, 2001, youth producers
participated in an international dialogue with youth in India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Dallas, and New York City to discuss the
social and political climates of their respective locales, to share
personal experiences and opinions about terrorism, as well
as to extend a gesture of peace and understanding. To adapt
the videos to audiences in foreign countries, students
researched these countries and learned about their cultures.

Since the program began in 1986, youth have produced
more than 300 Hard Cover videotapes — the largest library of
independent youth-produced videos available in the country.
The work is broadcast to audiences numbering in the hundreds
of thousands each yeai

17

Life Lines Community Arts Project

Center for Family Life, St. Christopher-Ottilie, Inc.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary this year, St. Chnstopher-
Ottilie, Inc.'s Life Lines Community Arts Project — an initiative
of the Center for Family Life, a family-focused, neighborhood-
based social services agency — is a free, year-round program
that brings together education, the arts, and social services to
promote individual growth, sustain families, and create a sense
of community

Life Lines' two programs, After-School Arts Program and
Summer Art Camp, provide quality instruction to youth from
the immigrant community of Sunset Park. Based at Middle
School 136, both programs operate five days a week and provide
instruction in dance, acting, singing, percussion, the visual arts,
photography, and creative writing, along with daily homework
assistance, computer access, and academic enrichment.

For example, After-School Arts participants engage in three
productions each year. In the fall, they create a musical adapta-
tion of a literature-based play. Past productions have been based
on such classics as Madeleine LEngle's A Wrinkle in Time and
Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth. Additional activities
throughout the year include coursework in academic subjects
and the arts — from math and history to dance and creative
writing. The culminating presentations, such as a percussion
composition based on mathematical concepts and fractions,

Maura Marquez

Above: Vocal ensemble pre-
sents selection from Shades
of Sunset. Far Right: Students
perform the "Traditions"
dance from Mi Building (Four
Families and a Super).

18

r

Life Lines Community
Arts Project

Center for Family Life

St. Christopher-Ottilie, Inc.

345 43rd Street

Brooklyn, NY 11232

Phone:718-788-3500

Fax:718-788-2275

E-mail: jbrockway@cflsp.org

URL: www.cflsp.org

reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the program and generate
enthusiasm for learning.

A recent highlight of the After-School Arts Program was
Reflections on September 11th, a project that developed out
of the participants' desire to explore feelings related to the
tragic events of this day. Teens recorded their reactions to
September 11, 2001, and to the heroism of local firefighters.
They interviewed people in the community about their thoughts
and feelings, combined the results with photographs, and
created a newsletter that they shared with the firehouse and
the neighborhood. Students also used excerpts from their
interviews to create an ensemble theater piece presented
in their spring show, Sunset Stones.

During the Summer Art
Camp, participants take
advantage of the diverse
and rich educational
resources available in
New York City by taking
daylong cultural outings,
attending outdoor festivals,
and participating in
in-depth arts experiences.
For instance, campers
recently visited the
Museum of Natural History
and, in addition, partici-
pated in a 2003 summer
production of Country
Mouse, City Mouse, a
musical adaptation of the
classic fable by Aesop.

Life Lines creates a num-
ber of practical opportuni-
ties for its students.
Teenagers have paid
summer jobs in dance
and theater troupes. A
high-school internship
and mentoring program
gives young people daily
help with their homework,
access to computers,
leadership training, and
opportunities to enrich
their educational experi-
ence by contributing to
their community.

Focus: Performing and Visual Arts
Annual Number Participating: 530
Ages: 10-19
Annual Budget: $330,600

"Life Lines' use of the arts to give
expression to relevant social and
emotional themes, to promote
cultural understanding, and to
strengthen connections between
people is particularly beneficial at
this time of uncertainty in our
city and country."
Nydia M. Velazquez
Member of Congress
1 2th District New York

19

Marwen

833 North Orleans Street

Chicago, I L 60610

Phone: 3 1 2-944-24 1 8, ext. 202

Fax: 3 1 2-944-6696

E-mail: acontro@marwen.org

URL: www.marwen.org

Focus: Visual Arts

Annual Number Participating: 1,300

Ages: 11-18

Annual Budget: $1,400,000

"At Marwen, I have a sense of
individuality and belonging at
the same time. I have learned
to keep my balance. However,
the most important thing here
is the constant exchange of ideas,
whether about art or political
and social viewpoints."
Theo Vega, Marwen Alumnus

Top: Alstair Del Rosario works on a
commissioned mural in Marwen's
summer internship program.
Above Left: Artist-teacher Daniel
Barber helps student Jason
Ogawa in a studio course. Above:
Sara Ordonez works in Marwen's
studio course, Face to Face:
Carving Plaster Portrait Sculpture.

Mar wen

"Marwen offers a secure environment in which students can
explore their identities and express themselves without inhibi-
tion," says Antonia Contro, executive director for Marwen.
Established in 1987, Marwen provides high-quality visual arts
education, college planning, and career development — all free of
charge — to Chicago's underserved youth in grades 6-12.

The students who participate in Marwen 's after-school, week-
end, and summer programs are a diverse group of creative,
motivated, and focused youth. Program participants exhibit a
level of seriousness and professionalism that is acquired through
the rigorous, high-quality arts instruction available at Marwen.
In alignment with the Chicago public school calendar, Marwen 's
Studio Program offers four terms of visual arts courses in drawing,
painting, mixed media, ceramics, sculpture, photography,
graphic design, animation, videography, and much more.
Last year alone, Marwen offered 53 courses, all designed and
implemented by professional artist-teachers, aided by alumni
teaching assistants.

Advanced students are directed to Marwen 's College Planning
and Career Development Programs to investigate and define
higher education and career goals. Together, the programs offer a
host of focused initiatives, including college and career planning
courses, a two- week intensive portfolio preparation course, a
six- week summer internship program, topic-specific workshops,
and individualized career and college counseling. Marwen also
offers two continental travel experiences, Aitwaid Bound: NYC
and Artward Bound: Maine. These week-long, experiential
study trips enable students to create art; visit cultural institutions
and colleges; and, for most, travel outside of Chicago for the
first time.

With an exhibition space dedicated solely to the artwork of
students, Marwen celebrates the work of its program partici-
pants year-round. At the end of each Studio Program term, every
student chooses one piece of work that represents his or her
best effort for display. Exhibition openings offer students the
opportunity to share their experiences with teachers, friends,
and families. The artwork on display is symbolic of students'
multiple achievements: increased self-expression, confidence,
and esteem; an appreciation of and respect for others' ideas and
opinions; and the ability to plan for the future and implement
the necessary steps to achieve personal and professional goals.

21

Orphan Girl Theatre

Butte Center for the Performing Arts

The Butte Center for the Performing Arts is dedicated to the
engagement and education of persons of all ages through the
medium of live theater. Its two theaters — the Mother Lode, a
1,200-seat facility, and the Orphan Girl, a 106-seat renovated
facility — not only serve the Butte community, but outlying areas
as well. The Orphan Girl Theatre operates after-school programs
year-round, including during the summer, that offer youth the
opportunity to develop their knowledge and appreciation of local
history, as well as their skills as writers and performers.

Uncovering nuggets of history
in the Butte Archives, local
libraries, the Mining Museum,
and the former School of Mines,
students work with historians
and dramatists to create and
perform a series of 30-minute
melodramas. The genre suits the
town's boom-and-bust history.

Far Right: Villians Landon
Hansen and Mac Taylor scheme

in Romance in Venus Alley. Below
Right: Gary Warchola plays a
miner and Terri Rask a waitress

in The Luck O' the Chinese
or The Ancient Chinese Secret.

Orphan Girl Theatre

Butte Center for the

Performing Arts

1 260 West Platinum Street

Butte, MT 5970 1

Phone: 406-782-7720

Fax:406-782-1408

E-mail: shaggus@onewest.net

URL: buttecenter.tripod.com

Focus: Theater

Annual Number Participating: 500

Ages: 5- 1 8

Annual Budget: $ 1 0 1 ,700

"The Orphan Girl melodramas
have increased visits to [Butte's]
historically important Central
Business District and have
enhanced the appreciation of
our local history."
Ellen Cram, Director
Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives

Iconic characters of the American West — scoundrels, damsels,
heroes, agitators, organizers, immigrants, bartenders, and piano
players — inhabit the plots of comedies and tragedies. The young
actors title their melodramas with such names as A Miner
Difference of Opinion, Romance in Venus Alley, and Shades of
Gold and Silver. Through this exploration of their town, students
develop a better understanding of history, enhance their ability
to conduct historical research, and increase their appreciation of
popular literature from the past.

Children also serve as the theater's directors, producers, stage
managers, lighting and sound technicians, costume designers,
and concessionaires for each performance. Working after school,
on weekends, and during the summer months, they learn that

Derek Pruitl

even creative occupations involve discipline; teamwork; and,
sometimes, repetitive tasks. They also experience
the connection between the arts and community-building. By
creating theater relevant to the lives of Butte's citizens, they
are helping to revitalize the spirit of this town, devastated
economically by the closing of the world's largest open-pit
copper mining operation.

23

Pre-Professional Dance Program

COCA — Center of Creative Arts

Since its inception, COCA — Center of Creative Arts has been
dedicated to providing the highest quality arts instruction
to St. Louis youth, regardless of their ability to pay. The Pre-
Professional Dance Program is a long-term, comprehensive
program that seeks to foster a love of dance in youth. The
program also serves as a community support for low-income
youth and demonstrates that the arts can be the vehicle for
transforming young lives.

Through its outreach efforts
in urban classrooms, COCA

Far Right: Brandon Bieber
and Margot Danis rehearse
while their classmates
observe. Below: COCA
instructor leads dance pro-
gram students in a routine.

James Schwartz

uncovers the promise of young dancers. Instructors watch for
students with interest, motivation, and promise to participate
in ongoing dance instruction. Students receive scholarships
to train in ballet, jazz, modern dance, and tap and can audition
for COCAdance, COCAs performing company of teen dancers.
In addition to performance opportunities, COCAdance offers
its members the chance to interact with professional dancers
and choreographers.

Although the Pre-Professional Dance Program's name suggests
that the program's aim is career training, its fundamental goal is
to encourage the overall development of young people. The pro-
gram teaches the rewards of discipline and hard work; increases
self-esteem, as students improve and receive accolades for their
achievements; and provides many opportunities for experienc-
ing the joy of performance.

24

1

ST

Pre-Professional
Dance Program

COCA — Center of Creative Arts

524 Trinity Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63 1 30

Phone:314-725-6555

Fax:314-725-6222

E-mail: director@cocastl.org

URL: www.cocastl.org

Focus: Dance

Annual Number Participating: 30

Ages: 8-1 8

Annual Budget: $ 1 82,400

"If I wanted to dance, I had to be
disciplined. If I wanted to live, I
had to be disciplined. And to be
respected, I had to be disciplined.
So it all came together."
Antonio Douthit, Pre-Professional
Dance Program Alumnus

James Schwartz

To support the growth
of talented students who
cannot afford the oppor-
tunity to develop their
skills, COCA has provided
$850,000 in scholarships
since 1992. Furthermore,
the program provides
comprehensive support
services to anyone who
needs them in the form of
transportation, counseling,
academic tutoring, and
assistance in applying
to summer and post-
secondary institutions.

The program's quality
is reflected in the achieve-

ments of its graduates. Members of the program have found
success at The Juilliard School, Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Houston Ballet, and Ballet Hispanico, among others. Yet even for
those who do not pursue dance careers, Executive Director
Stephanie Riven says, "The program challenges students intel-
lectually and physically. It teaches the skills necessary to work
with a diverse group of teammates. Participants learn that there
is a time for originality and a time for replication and that there
is a time to be the star and a time to be a productive member of
the group Perhaps most important, the program fuels the stu-
dents' creativity and passion for dance."

25

Project Image, Teen Images,
and The Place Where I Live

Boston Photo Collaborative, Inc.

Transformative qualities are what all award-winning Coming Up
Taller programs share: Students learn a formal discipline, and that
new skill takes them to places they had probably never imagined.
The Boston Photo Collaborative gives youth the chance to make
positive images out of negative circumstances in their lives.
These young people develop interpersonal, computer, and
creative skills that often transform their futures.

Since 1991, the Collaborative has offered training in photogra-
phy to reinforce and amplify what students learn in school.
Project Image offers training in photojournalism and, when
students are ready, opportunities to complete photography
assignments for businesses and non-profit organizations around
Boston. The 12 students, ages 14-18, who participate in Project
Image, a seven- week intensive summer employment program,
also put together their own documentary photographic and
written essays about issues that affect teens. Often these
young people use photography to question and counter media
stereotypes of urban youth.

In the year-round, teen-run Teen Images project, high-school
students learn about commercial photography and run their own
business. Participants develop job-related communication skills
and the knowledge of how to operate a small business. Teenagers
also learn about digital imaging and Website creation. Working
primarily with non-profits, for a modest fee, Teen Images provides

Boston Photo Collaborative Staff

Above: Walter Bullock presents his
photo essay at Project Image's 2002
final reception. Far Right: Crystal Ruiz
and Marlena Cesar present their photo
essays at Project Image's 2002 final
reception.

26

Project Image, Teen
Images, and The Place
Where I Live

Boston Photo Collaborative, Inc.

67 Brookside Avenue

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Phone:617-524-7729

Fax:617-522-9891

E-mail: mail@bostonphoto.org

URL: www.bostonphoto.org

Focus: Photography

Annual Number Participating: 35

Ages: 11-18

Annual Budget: $ 1 35,300

"The artwork produced by the
young people at the Boston Photo
Collaborative is unquestionably
high. The range of activities
offered to teens — basic skills;
field, individual, and group work;
contact with guest artists; and
writing — is comprehensive. The
youth programs honor young
people's assets and experiences,
creating opportunities for
youth leadership."
Mary Kelley, Executive Director
Massachusetts Cultural Council

these organizations with valu-
able documentation of the good
work they do. It is another way
for the teens to give back to
their communities.

In the after-school and week-
end photography program, The
Place Where I Live, students
from a neighborhood housing
development create photo
essays about their home sur-
roundings. Through photogra-
phy, they gain perspective
about their neighborhood
while learning a lifelong mode
for self-expression. "Through
the lens, they document their
lives. Through the click of the
shutter, they tell us their sto-
ries. With their photographs,
our teens give back to their
peers and to their families, and
they learn as much about their
community as they do about
themselves," observes Heather
Beard, associate director of
the Collaborative.

By learning and working at
the Boston Photo Collaborative,
young people have the chance
to be taken seriously. "We strive
daily to recognize, validate,
encourage, and strengthen
the voices of today's youth,"
adds Carl Mastandrea, founder
and director.

Boston Photo Collaborative Staff

I

m

•>

• ' i - -

r*

Project YIELD

Museum of Children's Art

Trma M Fields

The Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) is dedicated to making
the arts a fundamental part of the lives of all children. The third
largest arts organization in Oakland, MOCHA has been recog-
nized for its model partnerships with schools, public and
private institutions, and other arts agencies. It is known for
its programs built on the integration of the arts with best
practices in education and youth development and for its
extensive investment in evaluation and assessment as tools
for sustaining effective programming.

These characteristics are manifest in Project YIELD (Youth
in Education and Leadership Development), MOCHA's compre-
hensive after-school arts education and youth development
program. Local professional artists teach classes in the visual,
literary, performing, media, and public arts using a curriculum
that is linked to the academic school day and responsive to
school district learning standards, as well as to new and emerg-
ing curricula and learning theories. This extended-day program
takes place at a school site to reinforce the connection between
in-school and out-of-school learning.

In addition to after-school arts education, Project YIELD has a
community and youth development component developed in
conjunction with a paid advisory team of artists, youth, parents,
and community members. Through exhibitions, performances,
and mentoring with professional artists, the youth develop artistic
excellence, talent, and leadership skills. They create public artworks
for the benefit of the community, including street pole banners

28

Project YIELD

Museum of Children's Art
538 Ninth Street, Suite 210
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone:510-465-8770
Fax:510-465-0772
E-mail: hello@mocha.org
URL: www.mocha.org

Focus: Literary, Media,
Performing and Visual Arts
Annual Number Participating: 200
Ages: 5-16
Annual Budget: $589,000

"MOCHA has developed

innovative programs that have

changed how the arts are

viewed and utilized in education

and youth development. It is a

recognized leader in the field

of youth development and arts

education."

Wbyne Cook, Manager

Arts in Education

California Arts Council

rhool in catlabo

' Project V*Hd .' Mocha .ind So

Tnna M Fields

Far Left: Before each perfor-
mance, participants engage
in a Praise Circle to promote
teamwork. Above Left: During
the Day of Tribute to Cesar
Chavez, youth participate in a
garden tile mosaic workshop.
Above: Students from Project
YIELD and McClymonds High
School, in collaboration with
teachers Carolyn S. Carr and
Asual Aswad and designer
Scott Panton, created this pho-
tographic mural.

that promote positive youth
voices; public art messages
against violence posted on
buses, kiosks, and bus shel-
ters; an exhibition of photo-
graphic biographies of
community leaders; and a
collaborative mural that
reflects the contributions of individuals to the community

MOCHA believes that a variety of ongoing internal and exter-
nal evaluations and assessments of youth development, acade-
mic, and artistic outcomes are critical to delivering exemplary
programs. Intensive program evaluations demonstrate impres-
sive results: Fifty percent of youth participating
in Project YIELD improved m-school attendance; 49 percent
increased their basic skills and problem-solving scores on
standardized tests in reading; and 43 percent achieved similar
im] Movements in math. Because of MOCHA's successful work,
the Oakland Unified School District is supporting MOCHA's
expansion into five more school sites.

29

Radio Arte WRTE 90. S FM

Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum

From Chicago, Radio Arte WRTE 90.5 FM, America's only
Spanish-English, Latino-owned, youth-operated, 24-hour
community-broadcasting radio station, is attracting attention
everywhere — from Mexico to the nation's capital — as a
national model in engaging and empowering youth through
the art of media.

An outreach project of the Mexican Fine Arts Center
Museum, WRTE encourages student operators, managers, and
deejays to delve into "the art of radio" through a two-year
program that explores cultural and community issues. One
current WRTE project, for example, Camino Tiena Adentro,
is a live talk program with local artists and representatives
from arts organizations.

Each year, 120 students enroll in the station's training
program. They advance from phase one — six months of study
in creative writing, voice training, and a Federal Communications
Commission course in broadcast theory — to phase two, in
which the budding broad-
casters learn to use equip- '
ment made for radio
production and editing.

Right: Jesus Echeverria and
Mayra Ochoa edit a segment of
Radio Arte's programming. Far
Right, Top: Uzziel Sandoval pre-
pares for his weekly radio show.
Far Right, Bottom: Frank Conde
deejays his own show.

Radio Arte
WRTE 90.5 FM

Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum

1 852 West 19th Street

Chicago, IL 60608

Phone:312-455-9455

Fax:312-455-9755

E-mail: valdivia@radioarte.org

URL: www.radioarte.org

Focus: Humanities, Media Arts
Annual Number Participating: 120
Ages: 15-21
Annual Budget: $4 1 5,300

"Radio Arte has flourished as the
only Latino-owned, community-
broadcasting station to integrate
youth fully as part of its program-
ming while helping them develop
their skills as journalists, producers,
and administrators in the commu-
nications field. It is through this
commitment that Radio Arte
has become the national training
model for youth in the art of
media and public radio."
Michael Orlove, Program Director
Department of Cultural Affairs
City of Chicago

30

Finally, in phase three, students plan, develop, and maintain
their own on-air programs for one year. Through their involve-
ment with Radio Arte, students become aware of community
issues and develop both decision-making and leadership skills.
They also bring a youth perspective to cultural and community
issues in the Metropolitan Chicago area.

Throughout their training, students work with professional
broadcasters in radio, television, and print, giving them direct
access to journalists from leading Chicago media outlets. After
successful completion of this program, participants are encour-
aged to find related radio internships in the Chicago area.

Since the station's founding in 1996, WRTE students have
gained accolades for their productions. An ABC-TV special

featured WRTE in Tapestry:
Generation N, reporting on the
successes of young Latinos in
Metropolitan Chicago. And in
April 2002, Radio Arte received
two Excellence in Production
awards from the National
Federation for Community Bioadcist.iiuj Many graduates
of the program have gone on to successful careers in broadcast-
ing; others have used the experience to pursue higher education.

31

Rose Eichenbaum

Saint Joseph Ballet

Saint Joseph Ballet has developed comprehensive year-round
programs to help youth effectively transfer the esteem, motivation,
and risk-management skills they gam through dance to other
aspects of their lives. More than 400 young people attend Saint
Joseph Ballet each year, and enrollment has grown steadily
since its founding in 1983. Most students are from families with
limited means so they attend Saint Joseph Ballet on scholarship;
96 percent participate free of charge.

The dance training reflects Saint Joseph Ballet's commitment
to artistic excellence; 42 classes are offered weekly, with six
levels of proficiency Students affirm their achievements and
build confidence through performances. By inviting accomplished
artists to collaborate with participants on its annual production,
Saint Joseph Ballet honors the efforts of its students, and its pre-
sentations earn a prestige that many annual recitals never realize.

In addition, Saint Joseph Ballet encourages family involvement
in participants' development as dancers and as young
citizens. To cultivate skills and tools for coping with the many
demands of raising healthy children, Saint Joseph Ballet offers
educational seminars for parents on such topics as health,
parenting skills, and personal finance. Ongoing professional
counseling, crisis intervention, and social service referrals
are also available to students and parents.

Saint Joseph Ballet also provides services that increase stu-
dents' academic competitiveness, raising the chances that they
will graduate from high school, enroll in college, and ultimately
graduate. Students with grade point averages (GPAs) below

32

Far Left: Students perform in
Los Angelitos, choreographed
by Mark Haim. Top: Students
await instruction. Above:
Students warm up at the barre.

Saint Joseph Ballet

1810 North Main Street

Santa Ana, CA 92706-2727

Phone: 7 1 4-54 1 -83 1 4

Fax:714-541-2150

E-mail: info@saintjosephballet.org

Focus: Dance

Annual Number Participating: 400

Ages: 9- 1 9

Annual Budget: $ 1 ,684,000

"This dance company is determined
to give youth new options for their
lives through high-quality dance
training. Saint Joseph Ballet also goes
a step beyond training by incorpo-
rating academics, family services, and
enrichment programs into its dance
program, supporting the teens'
growth in all ways."
Ellen 8. Rudolph, Program Director-Arts
Surdna Foundation, Inc.
New York, NY

3.0 are offered on-site,
one-on-one tutoring by
community volunteers
and students from the
University of California.
Irvine. And academic achievement is substantially rewarded: All
students who attend Saint Joseph Ballet throughout high school
and graduate with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA are awarded a
college scholarship.

Participants in Saint Joseph Ballet show remarkable self-
assurance, social skills, expectations, and commitment to
learning, according to a University of California, Irvine study.
These are the tools, the report explains, that adolescents need
to succeed in life. And Saint Joseph Ballet's children are suc-
ceeding. Since 1998, all of Saint Joseph Ballet's seniors have
graduated from high school, with 93 percent attending college
in a city with an overall college enrollment rate of 19 percent
among college-eligible high-school graduates.

33

SWAT Team, Celebration Team,
and Summer Institute

National Dance Institute, Inc.

At 15, Jacques d'Amboise joined the New York City Ballet to
escape from street life and to learn the rigors and joys of dance.
Experiencing how the medium of dance had changed his life,
he sought to bring this opportunity to other children. In 1976,
d'Amboise founded the National Dance Institute (NDI) to
introduce children to dance. Over the years, the NDI has
taught the fundamentals of dance to at least 75,000 children
across the country.

From its home base in New York City, NDI partners with 20
public schools to introduce children to dance through a combina-
tion of in-school, weekend, and summer programs. Receiving the
Coming Up Taller Award are the three out-of-school programs:
the SWAT (Scholarships for the Willing, Achieving, and Talented)
Team; the Celebration Team;
and the Summer Institute.

Top Right: Young dancers prac-
tice their technique at NDI's
Summer Institute. Bottom
Right: NDI Artistic Director
Ellen Weinstein dances with
members of the Celebration
Team. Far Right, Bottom: This
is the final moment of NDI's
2000 performance of Romeo
and Juliet.

SWAT Team, Celebration
Team, and Summer
Institute

National Dance Institute, Inc.

594 Broadway, Room 805

New York, NY 10012

Phone:212-226-0083

Fax:212-226-0761

E-mail: rosullivan@

nationaldance.org

URL: www.nationaldance.org

Focus: Dance

Annual Number Participating: 300

Ages: 9-15

Annual Budget: $379,000

"The National Dance
Institute is exemplary in the
arts education field with a
26-year history of introducing
its students to dance and the
arts through participatory
experience."
Kathleen Hughes,
Assistant Commissioner
Department of Cultural Affairs
City of New York

34

The SWAT Team invites 100 dancers from the grade-inclusive
in-school programs to receive advanced dance instruction for
five hours on Saturdays during the school year. Children who
demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to NDI training are
invited to join the most advanced performance troupe: the
Celebration Team.

NDI's Celebration Team is an elite troupe of 75 talented
dancers who spend every Saturday learning complex
choreography. The team has performed at the White House,
the Kennedy Center, and the United Nations, among other
prestigious locations.

Participants in the Summer Institute are either SWAT Team or
Celebration Team members. They are selected for both their
enthusiasm and their talent and take part in a program of ballet,
jazz, tap, musical theater, and ethnic dance. The Institute is
a month-long, five-days-per-week, six-hours-a-day instruction
program that gives young people a strong technical dance
foundation, as well as choreography experience.

The impact of the NDI experience is well documented.
Participants make significant gains in their grades, on stan-
dardized tests, and in teacher ratings, according to one assess-
ment. After graduating from the advanced weekend and
summer program, many alumni become dance and arts teachers,
mentors, and leaders in their communities. Another measure
of the power of the NDI experience is the close relationship
that many graduates maintain with the Institute: They often
stay connected as chaperones for younger students; as interns
and mentors at other NDI programs; and as stage managers,
event producers, and stage crew for the annual Dance-A-Thon
fundraising event.

An inspiration and model for other community leaders and
educators, independent programs based on NDI's exist in
California; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; Ohio;
Texas; Virginia; and Washington, DC.

Eduardo Patino

9 Hi *:

Will Power to Youth

Shakespeare Festival/LA

Since 1993, Shakespeare Festival/LA, a non-profit theater
organization, has run a community arts, educational outreach,
employment, and gang diversion program that trains and
motivates young people by engaging them in producing their
own versions of Shakespeare's plays. Will Power to Youth
provides artistic training, accredited academic enrichment,
employment, and experiences that build life skills to 30
adolescents in each of its seven-week sessions held during
school vacations or "off-track" periods during the school year.

Right: Emilio Marroquin as
Escalus, based on Shakespeare's
Measure for Measure, reads a
decree in the Will Power adapta-
tion, The World Beneath. Below:
Valeria Paniagua as Isabella
pleads with Jorge Siguenza as
Angelo in The World Beneath.

Michael Lamont

Guided by professional theater artists, teens adapt, rehearse,
and present a play based on one of Shakespeare's texts.
Special emphasis is placed on exploring the language, themes,
and literary values of the selected play under the guidance
of a dramaturge, a professional human relations facilitator, and
an accredited school district teacher. Students also participate
in seminars on movement, music, and acting techniques.
They expand their experience through writing, set design and
construction, and costuming. Using all of their new-found skills,
they transform a Shakespearean play into one that addresses
their life experiences in East, Central, and South Central Los
Angeles. For instance, one youth production adapted scenes from
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice that reflect on issues of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ race, religion, and power,

topics still relevant today.
At the end of each session,
the program culminates in
a week of performances of
the student production at
Shakespeare Festival/LAs
permanent theater space.
In addition to receiving
an hourly wage for their
participation in the program,
enrollees are given five
academic credits and a
grade for their work. Both
the compensation and
the academic evaluations
promote their sense
of responsibility to the
program and to other
participants and provide
them with a concrete
measure of accomplishment.

Although the program
provides instruction in the
theater arts and opportuni-
ties for job shadowing in careers related to the stage, participants
also learn more broadly applicable skills, such as how to manage
time, interview for a job, or prepare for a test. "Will Power to Youth
is not intended to be a workshop for aspiring actors," asserts
Ben Donenberg, Shakespeare Festival/LAs producing artistic
director. "It is a creative, comprehensive personal development
program that uses theater in an employment and training
context to give young people the skills and experience they
need to go on in school and beyond school to a meaningful job."
And they are: Will Power has achieved an 85 percent success
rate at improving graduates' school attendance, literacy, and
academic performance.

Will Power to Youth

Shakespeare Festival/LA

1 238 West First Street

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Phone:213-481-2273

Fax:213-975-9833

E-mail: ben@shakespearefestivalla.org

URL: www.shakespearefestivalla.org

Focus: Theater

Annual Number Participating: 75

Ages: 14-21

Annual Budget: $2 1 3,500

"I absolutely think this should
be a model for other programs.
It takes kids who might have been
on the streets during their school
break and gives them a way to
earn school credits and get a
paid job."

Simeon Slovacek, PhD
Professor and Program Evaluator
California State University
Los Angeles, CA

37

Youth Guide Development Program

Multicultural Youth Tour of What's Now

For more than seven years, Multicultural Youth Tour Of
What's Now, or MYTOWN, has engaged residents and visitors
of all ages in learning about Boston's neighborhoods. Karilyn
Crockett's purpose in founding MYTOWN is evident in the
name: The organization fosters increased civic participation
by connecting young people to local history.

Each year, MYTOWN employs 40 Youth Guides who research,
write, and lead walking tours of city neighborhoods. Residents
share their stories of immigration and migration, activism, and
service — often not documented anywhere else — with Youth
Guides. Such prominent public historians as professors Robert
Hayden, Northeastern University; James Green, University of
Massachusetts, Boston; and Robert Allison, Suffolk University,
train the youth guides to use library resources to research and
create stories based on historical facts.

Youth Guides begin their work by learning more about
their own heritage. Researching the stories of how
their families came to Boston helps local teens find
a connection to the city.

In addition, by learning about local links to national
historic movements — such as the Union United
Methodist Church, which was a stop on the
Underground Railroad —
MYTOWN students discover
the strategic role that their
hometown has played in
American history.

After completing their
research, MYTOWN partici-

ephen Martineau

pants teach the public what they have learned. By leading walk-
ing tours and taking part in other public education activities,
they develop cultural competence and communications, critical
thinking, and leadership skills. They learn to speak clearly and
audibly, to ask and answer questions professionally, to interact
as team members, and to show respect for people from different
ethnic backgrounds — all important skills for becoming engaged,
successful community members. For one-third of the Youth
Guides, MYTOWN is a first, formative employment experience.

At the end of the 2002 program period, 100 percent of the
Youth Guides reported that MYTOWN taught them local and
national history that they had not learned in school or elsewhere.
And 60 percent said that MYTOWN "challenged their negative
perception of their neighborhoods by helping them understand
and identify local community assets."

The MYTOWN experience is so well regarded that its
curriculum has been selected as an official learning program
for out-of-school programs supported by the City of Boston.

Stephen Martineau

Youth Guide
Development Program

Multicultural Youth Tour

of What's Now

POBox 180445

Boston, MA 021 18

Phone:617-536-8696

Fax:617-536-5763

E-mail: mrousmaniere(j

mytowninc.com

URL: www.mytowninc.com

Focus: Humanities

Annual Number Participating: 40

Ages: 14-18

Annual Budget: $275,000

"The best leadership development
programs emphasize independent,
critical, and creative thinking skills.
MYTOWN offers young people an
opportunity to develop those skills
by exploring how choices and
decisions were made in the past."
Ellen K. Rothman, Associate Director
Massachusetts Foundation
for the Humanities

39

In 2002, the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities with assistance from CONTACO CULTURAL,
Fideicomiso para la Cultura Mexico — EUA (CULTURAL
CONTACT, The US-Mexico Foundation for Culture), a non-
profit cultural organization in Mexico City, presented two
Coming Up Taller Awards to programs in Mexico. Consistent
with the President's Committee's interest in promoting mutu-
al international understanding through the arts and the
humanities, we continue to honor Mexican arts and humani-
ties programs with Coming Up Taller Awards. Our goal is
shared by CONTACTO CULTURAL, and we are grateful to

Far Left: Art students of them for identifying these lead-

Tacahua show their work. ing arts programs for children
Below: Members of Coros , c ., ^, •

MECED-Chimalli stand before 3nd f°r SUPPortin9 ^ Coming

the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Up Taller Awards.

MECED-Chimalli Staff

w

•

Coros MECED-Chimalli

InstitutoTamaulipeco para la Cultura y las Artes

Across the southeastern-most part of the US-Mexico border is
the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. In the capital, Ciudad Victoria,
a partnership of two agencies brings music to children: the
Instituto Tamaulipeco para la Cultura y las Artes (Tamaulipas
Institute for Culture and the Arts), a statewide public agency
of the Ministry of Education of Tamaulipas, and Sistema para
el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia-Tamaulipas also known as

dECED-Chimalli Staff

Above: Young MECED-
Chimalli choir members
perform in concert
with Lilians Matei,
one of Mexico's leading
vocalists. Far Right,
Above: Choir members
sing in Bizet's Carmen
at the Amalia G. de
Castillo Ledon.

DIF — Tamaulipas (System for Integrated
Family Development — Tamaulipas),
a state public agency that protects and
supports families.

With technical assistance from the Sistema
Nacional de Fomento Musical (National
System for Musical Development) and the
participation of local public cultural and
municipal agencies, the Instituto has created 14 children's
choirs, of 30-40 children each, in outlying communities. Music
teachers from the local public schools are trained to conduct
choirs in a repertoire of classical and contemporary music.
Selected by audition for basic vocal ability, children rehearse
three to five hours a week to prepare for performances at local
festivals, anniversaries, and civic events. "Two months after the
program started, the change in the children was remarkable.
Disorganized children were quietly standing in line; unkempt
children came well groomed. Their conversation focused on such
issues as whether the sopranos should enter the stage before
the mezzos! It brought tears to my eyes," remarks Medardo
Treviho, director of cultural development, Instituto Tamaulipeco.

42

Coros MECED-Chimalli

InstitutoTamaulipeco para

la Cultura y las Artes

22Allende s/n

Espacio Cultural Vicentino

Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas

Mexico 87000

Phone: [01 1-52-83] 43-12-07-14

Fax: [01 1-52-83] 43-12-62-63

E-mail: medardo_trevino@

hotmail.com

Focus: Music

Annual Number Participating: 450

Ages: 6-14

Annual Budget: $ 1 96,600

"We believe that music offers
these children an alternative
way of expressing themselves,
a renewed sense of their value
within their families and
communities, and the vision of
a new way of life."
Fernando Mier y Teran,
Executive Director
Institute Tamaulipeco para
la Cultura y las Artes

MECED-Chimalli Staff

Children who have a special interest and
ability in music can participate on scholar-
ship in a three-year, month-long, summer
residential program at El Conservatorio de
las Rosas (The Las Rosas Conservatory) in
Morelia, Michoacan. Here, youth from throughout Mexico spend
six to eight hours a day studying voice, piano, and the history
of music. This experience gives them the skills to continue in
music beyond the program. Currently, 19 children from the 14
choirs attend the Conservatory, perform with some of Mexico's
most-well-known professional artists, and participate in national
and international festivals.

The partnership with DIF — Tamaulipas makes these musical
experiences possible. Through its program, Menores en
Circunstancias Especialmente Dificiles — MECED (Children in
Especially Difficult Circumstances), children in the choirs and
their families receive general financial and food support, plus
health care. This assistance allows the children to go to school
and participate in the choirs and Conservatory, instead of work-
ing to supplement their family's income. With these opportuni-
ties, the children's visions of themselves and their futures
change. And so do their parents'. "The families are so proud
to see their children on stage performing," relates Fernando
Mier y Teran, executive director, Instituto Tamaulipeco. "It gives
them a sense of hope, of possibility."

43

Talleres Comunitarios en las
8 Regiones de Nuestro Estado

Taller de Artes Plasticas RufinoTamayo
Instituto Oaxaqueno de las Culturas

Rufino Tamayo is a well-known Latin American visual artist.
His legacy is a substantial body of work that masterfully uses
colors and textures. It also includes a school of art m Oaxaca,
Mexico, that bears his name, Taller de Artes Plasticas Rufino
Tamayo (Rufino Tamayo Plastic Arts Workshop). The city
government runs the school, which is supported by the
National Institute of Fine Arts.

Oaxaca, however, is not the only place where the visual
arts flourish. Traditional Mexican arts and crafts also thrive in
villages within the surrounding Central Valleys. "Each region of
this area expresses itself differently, using different colors and
media," notes Juan Alcazar, co-founder and executive director
of Taller de Artes Plasticas. "It is important that we keep these
differences alive and celebrate them."

This conviction, shared by many others, led to the establish-
ment of visual arts workshops for young people. Since 1997,
Talleres Comunitarios en las 8 Regiones de Nuestro Estado
(Community Workshops in the 8 Regions of Our State) has
enabled 30-40 young people in each of the eight surrounding
communities to receive Taiieres comunua

free lessons in painting
and drawing for 20 con-
secutive days, two or three
times a year. Some partici-
pants learn papermaking
and engraving. Students'
projects reflect the coDec-
tive cultural history of their
communities. At the con-
clusion of each Workshop, these young artists
creations are featured in an exhibition for
their community.

The artist-teachers are Workshop "gradu-
ates" who have gone on to study at Taller de
Artes Plasticas for a minimum of two years
and remain in close contact with the school.
To enrich the experience of both teachers and
students, the instructors do not teach in the
communities where they grew up.

44

The success of the Workshops is due to a partnership effort.
While Taller de Aites Plasticas shapes the creative content of
the Workshops, local public cultural and municipal authorities
organize and advertise them. The authorities reach out to chil-
dren and their parents

Talleres Comunitarios en las
Regiones de Nuestro Estado

Taller de Artes Plasticas RufinoTamayo
istituto Oaxaqueno de las Culturas
Avenida Juarez #5 1 4
Centro

Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Mexico 68000

Phone: [01 1-52-95] 15-14-63-66
Fax: [01 1-52-95] 15-14-63-66
E-mail: tallerjuanalcazar@yahoo.com

Focus: Visual Arts

Annual Number Participating:

Ages: 6-20

Annual Budget: $ 1 8,000

1,800

"Children's perspective on the world
changes when they are in the arts.
They become better human beings.
They better understand nature and,
therefore, take better care of it."
Juan Alcazar, Co-Founder
and Executive Director
Taller de Artes Plasticas Rufino Tamayo

by using loudspeakers in
the schools or in the city
hall, posters, and flyers.
They also

provide Workshop sites
and coordinate room and
board for the instructors;
sometimes, teachers live
with local families.

These Workshops are
especially valuable since
the schools in these
regions offer little arts
instruction. And because
of this educational, cultur-
al, and municipal partner-
ship, opportunities are
expanding for children.

Far Left: Young artists
prepare still-life drawings.
Below: Students proudly
display their art.

Talleres Comunitarios Staff

Coming Up Taller Awards
Semifinalists 2003

After School Program
National Dance Institute
of New Mexico
Santa Fe, NM

Harbor Conservatory for

the Performing Arts

Boys and Girls Harbor, Inc.

New York, NY

Albany Park Theater Project
Chicago, IL

The Harlem School of the Arts

New York. NY

Art-at-Work

Fulton County Arts Council

Atlanta, GA

Arts and Literacy Program
Coalition for Hispanic
Family Services

Brooklyn, NY

Arts Outreach: Mentoring
Through Photography/
Mixed Media and Dance
Stonehill College, Inc.
Easton, MA

Inside Out Community Arts
Venice, CA

Kids First™ Art Education
Silicon Valley Children's Fund
San Jose, CA

Midnight Shakespeare
The San Francisco
Shakespeare Festival
San Francisco, CA

New Urban Arts

Providence, RI

Center for Creative Youth
Capitol Region
Educational Council
Middletown, CT

The Comic Book Project
Teachers College,
Columbia University

New York, NY

Community and After
School Program
Young Audiences of
North Texas

Dallas, TX

Dare to Dance
Ballet East Dance
Theatre
Austin, TX

Dream Yard After
School Arts Company
Dream Yard Drama
Project, Inc.

New York, NY

Ethos, Inc.
Portland, OR

Find Your Voice
Literacy-Through-Theatre
Program for Teens
Starfish Theatreworks, Inc.

New York, NY

Progressive Afterschool
Art Community Education
(PACE) Program
Norton Museum of Art

West Palm Beach, FL

Project ABLE

Mill Street Loft, Inc.

Poughkeepsie, NY

Red Ladder Theatre Company
San Jose Repertory Theatre

San Jose, CA

Regent After School
Program

Whitney Museum
of American Art
New York, NY

46

Roosevelt Dancers
Indochinese Cultural
and Service Center

Tacoma, WA

Teen Art Coalition

ArtWorks!, Partners for

the Arts and Community, Inc.

New Bedford, MA

Strive Media Institute

Milwaukee, WI

Student Theatre
Enrichment Program
The Cleveland Public Theatre
Cleveland, OH

Teen Docents

Fuller Museum of Art

Brockton, MA

Teen Media Program

The Community Art Center, Inc.

Cambridge, MA

Students Creating Opera to
Reinforce Education! (SCORE!)
Hamilton Wings

Elgin, IL

Summer Writing Camp
National Book Foundation, Inc.

New York, NY

Tiered Mentoring Program
Everett Dance Theatre

Providence, RI

The Urban Voices
Media Arts Program
Global Action Project, Inc.
New York, NY

TAD A! Resident Youth Ensemble
TAD A! Theater and Dance
Alliance, Inc.

New York, NY

Youth- Art-in- Action
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Boston, MA

Far Left: Photographers from
Youth in Focus, a 2003 Coming
Up Taller nominee, capture
images of downtown Los
Angeles. Left: Gabriel Torres
shows a puppet he created
for CalArts Community Arts
Partnership and Plaza de la
Raza's Puppet Theatre Program,
a 2003 Coming Up Taller
nominee. Below: Young dancers
from the CAAM Chinese Dance
Theatre, a 2003 Coming Up
Taller nominee, wait to greet
the audience before a show.

Sharon Lye

47

Coming Up Taller Awards
National Jury 2003

Jenny Atkinson

Senior Director, Education and The Arts
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Atlanta, GA

Stanley A. Butler

Branch Manager, Walbrook Branch
Enoch Pratt Free Library
Baltimore, MD

Debra Evans

Director of Education and Community Programs
The Washington Opera
Washington, DC

Susan McLeod

Director

Chippewa Valley Museum

Eau Claire, WI

Philip Nix

Headmaster

Sonoma Country Day School

Santa Rosa, CA

Jeanne H. Schmedlen

Chairman

Pennsylvania Humanities Council

Philadelphia, PA

Patricia A. Shifferd

Vice President, Community and Education Programs
American Composers Forum
St. Paul, MN

Cary D. Wintz

Professor, History Department
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX

48

President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Suite 526
Washington, DC 20506

Phone: 202-682-5409
Fax: 202-682-5668
E-mail: pcah@pcah.gov
URL: www.pcah.gov

The President of the United States recognizes that the Nation's cultural
life contributes to the vibrancy of society and the strength of democracy.
The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities helps to
incorporate the arts and humanities into White House objectives. The
Committee bridges federal agencies and the private sector. It recognizes
cultural excellence, engages in research, initiates special projects, and
stimulates private funding. Areas of current focus include programs in
youth arts and humanities learning; preservation and conservation;
special events; and expansion of international cultural relations.

First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair

Adair Margo, Chairman

Henry Moran, Executive Director

Institute of Museum and Library Services

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Phone: 202-606-8536

Washington, DC 20506 Fax: 202-606-8591

E-mail: imlsinfo@imls.gov
URL: www.imls.gov

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent Federal
grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of
learners. The Institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of
learning by supporting the nation's 15,000 museums and 122,000
libraries. The Institute also encourages partnerships to expand the
educational benefit of libraries and museums.

Robert S. Martin, PhD, Director

National Endowment for the Arts

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506

Phone: 202-682-5400

Fax: 202-682-5611

E-mail: webmgr@arts.endow.gov

URL: www.arts.gov

The National Endowment for the Arts enriches our Nation and its diverse
cultural heritage by supporting works of artistic excellence, advancing
learning in the arts, and strengthening the arts in communities through-
out the country.

Dana Gioia, Chairman

National Endowment for the Humanities

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506

Phone: 202-606-8400
Fax: 202-606-8240
E-mail: info@neh.gov
URL: www.neh.gov

Because democracy demands wisdom, the National Endowment for
the Humanities serves and strengthens our Republic by promoting
excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to
all Americans. The Endowment accomplishes this mission by providing
grants for high-quality humanities projects in four funding areas:
preserving and providing access to cultural resources, education,
research, and public programs.

Bruce M. Cole. PhD, Chairman

COMING UP TALLER AWARDS